Mute for musical instruments



Feb. 13, 1923.

J. C. TURNER MUTE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Apr. 28, 1922 fnvenz'or /0/222 C. ZZ/rn er @Homey Patented F eb. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MUTE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed April 28, 1922. Serial No. 557,178.

To all whom t may conce/M1.:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. TURNER, a citizen of the United States` residing at the city of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mutes for Musical Instruments; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the ait to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to mutes for musical instruments but more particularly relates to mutes especially adapted. for checking or subduing the tones emitted from horn instruments, such as a cornet, trombone, trumpet, and the like.

Specifically this invention consists in providing a telesr-,oping mute so that when ythe members of the latter are collapsed they .may be Wholly contained within the bell of the horn so as to be .readily transported without any special provision therefor.

In order to have a mute with its members in extended relation. properly placed within the bell of the horn, the device must be Iirmly inserted within the throat of the horn, and heretofore a collapsible mute has been. thus inserted with considerable .lifiiculty since more or less force must be exerted to cause the device to firmly impinge against the wall of the throat of the instrument, and therefore the sec* tions would readily collapse and had to be readjusted, but I have provided means .for locking' the members in extended relation prior to the application of the mute for use, while at the same time the members may be imloclied and collapsed without removing the .mute from the horn.

Furthermore, the collapsible members of the mute are frusto-conical sections, which, when extended, fit tightly together so as to be practically air proof, and I have provided studs which are fixed to the outer surfaces oi" the inner and intermediate members adjacent their outer edges, and have formed cut away portions at the inner edges of the outer and intermediate members, so that when the members are extended these studs will not score or mutilate adjacent surfaces but will project through these recesses so that when the members are fully extended they may be slightly twisted so that these studs will lock against adjacent piges and prevent the collapsing of the mem- For a clearerunderstanding of this invention a more detailed description will now be given, reference being had to the accompanying drawings' in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of a horn with my improved mute properly assembled therein, the horn being broken away.

Figure E? is a sectional elevation of a horn broken away and containing my improved mute in collapsed condition.

Figure 3 is a detail elevation of the mute with the members extended preparatory to locking them as against collapsing.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the members locked preparatory to insertion Within a horn, and

Figure 5 is a modification, similar to Figure 4, but showing the inner edges ofthe intermediate and outer sections formed with notches.

Similar numerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

l is the bell of the horn of any suitable Wind instrument, and 2 the throat thereof.

3, 4. and 5, are inner, intermediate and outer frusto-conical members which are in telescopic relation. The inner member 3 has fixed. to its exterior surface elongated lags or strips 6 of cork, rubber, leather. or any material having a high coefficient of friction, so that when the device is inserted for use these strips will bind firmly against the inner wall of the throat of the instrument so as to hold the mute in position.

The members 3, 4, and 5, are tubular the two former being open at each end while the member 5 is closed at its outer end.

'T he intermediate member 4 and the outer member 5 have cut away portions 7, 8, respectively, at their inner edges, while the inner member 3 and the intermediate member 4 have studs 9, 10, respectively affixed to their exterior surfaces near their outer edges.

The telescopic members when extended will bind closely against each other at their adjacent surfaces so as to be substantially air tight, and therefore when these members are being extended the studs 9 and 10 will be gradually brought nearer the inner surfaces of the members 4 and 5, but when the limit oi extension is nearly reached these studs will pass into the recessed portions 7 and 8, and therefore will net score or mutilate the inner surfaces of the members 4i and 5, as they otherwise would 'if these recesses were not present.`

' will cause the studs to lock .near their full limit, ing effected by the riding of the studs up the notches, the studs Then the sections have been extended so that the studs are about flush with the in ner edges oi the members l and 5, the me1nbers are given a slight twist axially which lirmly against said edges vand the device is now ready Jfor insertion within the horn of the instrument, and a iirm pressure may be applied so astol cause the strips 6 to impinge firmly against the throat 2 without any danger of collapsing the members.

In some instances the mute may be oi3 such size that it will inextended condition project beyond the bell of the horn, `and in other instances the mute will,when extended, be fully within the horn. But in all instances the mute may be collapsed so that it may be contained within the bell oi the horn, as shown at Figure, which is very advantageous for the purposes oic transportation.

In Figure 5 a modification is shown in which the cnt-away portions in the inner edges of the intermediate and outer sections are in the form of notches ll, 12, into the lower portions of which the studs 9 and 10 project when the sections are extended to the final extensionbe`- the inclined walls of being then locked against the edges of said sections lshown in. the instance of: the stud 10.

`What is claimed is l. Afmute for musical r.instruments oi the character described, comprising telescoping busto-conical tubular members which in extended relation bind closely together, the outer or larger member beingr closed at the bottom, while the inner or smaller member has a plurality oi: comparatively soit lags kixedto its exterior surface, the outer and intermediate members having cut away portionsiat their inner edges, and the inner and intermediate members having studs fixed to their Vouter surfaces adjacent their outer edges, whereby when the members are extended said studs will pass within said por tions in position'to be engaged with said inner edges when the members are turned axially. i

2. A. mute for musical instruments of the character described, comprising telescoping rustdconical tubular members which in exe tended relation bind closely together and form a structure open at itsy inner or smaller end and closed 'at'its outer or larger end, the smaller member carrying on its exterior surface rictional elements Yfor engaging the tone emitting throat of the instrument, and means carried by the outer and intermediate members for positivelylocking them in extended relation. y t f .r

In testimony whereof l my, signature hereto.

JOHN o. runnen 

